Arsene Wenger is the latest in a long line of footballing characters to comment on the news that John Terry will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.

The centre back, who has never played for another team, is thought to be moving to a different country, as he won’t play for another English side.

Speaking ahead of our match with Southampton on Tuesday, the boss hailed the Chelsea man’s leadership skills on the pitch and praised his success at the club.

“He was not only a great player, he certainly still is, but he was also a great coach on the pitch,” he said.

“I saw him here once at London Colney playing with the under-21s and the way he coached the team as a player was absolutely marvellous. He was a real leader and he had a great career as well, let’s not forget that. That’s never a coincidence.”

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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Mesut Oezil of Arsenal controls the ball under pressure from John Terry of Chelsea during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on January 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Wenger went on to admit that the Blues may struggle without their main man.

“The guys who last such a long time have something special,” he continued.

“He was the symbol of cohesion inside Chelsea’s club because him, Lampard, Drogba and Cech were the players who carried the club’s values for long periods. When you lose players like that you’re always in danger.”

Terry has a lot of fans within the squad as well as out of it and his departure could really rock the boat. If he was a leader behind the scenes as well as on the field, the younger squad members who look up to him could find themselves a little lost.